Joseph a



p 24, 1963 J. A. BURKHARDT ETAL 3, 0 ,7 6

METHODAND APPARATUS FOR INJECTING TREATING LIQUIDS IN WELLS Filed Oct. 12, 1960 CORROSION INHIBITOR FIG. 6.

INVENTOR. WATER JOSEPH A. BURKHARDT,

BENJAMIN MOSIER, E LEON H. ROB|N$ON,JR., L JOSEPH A. CALDWELL,

me. I. 41.4 sir-MM 38 ATTORNEY,

United States Patent M METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INJECTING TREATING LIQUIDS IN WELLS Joseph A. Burkhardt, Benjamin Mosier, Leon H. Robinson, Jr., and Joseph A. Caldwell, all of Houston, Tex., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Jersey Production Research Company, Tulsa, Okla., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 12, 1960, Ser. No. 62,278

3 Claims. (Cl. 166-165) This invention relates to production of oil from oil wells. More particularly, this invention is a new apparatus and method for treating the subsurface equipment in an oil well with a treating liquid such as a corrosion inhibitor.

It is often necessary to eject treating liquid at various points in a subsurface well to perform various fluid treatment operations. For example, the tubing and casing within an oil well is subject to corrosion. To protect the tubing and easing from corrosion it is necessary to eject a corrosion inhibitor into the tubing and/or casing to provide a protective film on the tubing and easing.

It is desirable to provide protection against corrosion for as long a period of time as possible. The invention to be described herein is a method and apparatus which ejects treating fluids, such as a corrosion inhibitor, to protect the tubing and easing over a very extended period of time.

Briefly described, the invention includes a container or reservoir for enclosing a treating liquid. The treating liquid has a density different from the density of the connate water normally found in the subsurface formation. A water-wet liquid permeable member is provided as a water inlet to the treating liquid reservoir. Thu s, water may enter the container through the water-wet permeable member. An oil-wet liquid permeable member is also provided on the container to serve as an outlet for the treating liquid.

The container for enclosing the treating liquid may be made of a plurality of tubing joints so as to provide a large amount of treating liquid. By using a liquid permeable member made of a metal or porcelain, the rate of flow of the ejected treating fluid may be made very low so that a small amount of treating liquid is ejected at a time. Thus, with a large amount of enclosed treating liquid and a low ejection rate, the subsurface equipment, such as the tubing and casing, can be treated over a very long period of time.

The new method to be described herein includes the use of the connate water in the oil well which is flowed into the container to displace the treating liquid in the container. The water-wet liquid permeable member serving as a water inlet prevents the produced oil from entering the container. Hence, the oil may be continuously produced while at the same time a continuous small amount of treating liquid is ejected from the container.

The invention as well as its many advantages may be further understood by reference to the following detailed description and drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional elevational view showing the new liquid treating ejector included as .a part of an extension tubing used in a permanent well completion type oil well;

'FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. =3 is a view taken along lines 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view taken along lines 55 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a view taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 5.

3,104,? l 6 Patented Sept. 24, 1 963 Referring to the figures and particularly to FIG. 1, the new apparatus and method is shown used for ejecting a corrosion inhibitor into the production tubing located in an oil well of a permanent well completion type.

The well 10 is provided with the usual casing 12 which is cemented to the sides of the borehole by cement 14. A production tubing 16 extends from the earths surface, not shown, to a point above the bottom of the well 10. A landing nipple 18 is provided adjacent the lower end of the production tubing 16 to receive an extension tubing 20 about which is provided a packer 22 which seats in the landing nipple 18 when the extension tubing 20 has been lowered into the position shown in FIG. 1. Extension tubing 20 may be lowered by conventional means such as a wireline (not shown) attachable to the fishing neck 26 on the upper extremity of the extension tubing 20.

The extension tubing 20 is provided with a plurality of ports 23 located below the packer 22. It will be noted that the extension tubing 20 is open on its upper end, whereby well fluids entering the ports 28 may pass upwardly through the tubing extension 20 and into the tubing 16.

Perforations 32 are shown which extend through the casing 12 and cement 14 into an oil producing formation 34. Also, a packer 36 is positioned on the lower portion of the production tubing 16 to close off the tubing-casing annulus. Thus, packer 36 seals olf the pressure of the producing formation 34. Therefore, oil from the producing formation 34 flows through perforations 32, into the ports 28, upwardly within the extension tubing 20, out of the upper end thereof, and up to the surface of the earth through production tubing 16.

The bottom of extension tubing 2! is provided with a plug 38 to provide a container or reservoir 37 for a liquid corrosion inhibitor. The container extends upwardly for a substantial distance to provide a large supply of corrosion inhibitor.

A liquid permeable window 49 is mounted in the side of the container. The permeable window 40 may be made of sintered metals, sintered ceramics, or sintered plastics which provide for a low rate of flow of liquids through the member 40. The member 40 has been made water-wet. Materials which may be used for waterwetting liquid permeable member 40 are phosphoric acid and its sodium derivatives and surface active agents, such as nonyl phenol containing varying mole ratios of ethylene oxide.

. A cover plate 42 seals the opening in the cylindrical support 44 which extends inwardly into the container to form a chamber '41 between the cover plate 42 and the permeable member 40. A flexible tubing 51 provides fluid connection between chamber 41 and plate in the upper liquid permeable member support.

When the tool is assembled for lowering into the borehole, the cylindrical support 44 may be filled with water to help maintain the water-wet characteristic of the waterwet liquid permeable member 40.

A second liquid permeable metal member 48 is provided at the top of the corrosion inhibitor reservoir 37 to serve as a corrosion inhibitor outlet for corrosion inhibitor displaced by connate water which has entered through the water inlet 40. Liquid permeable member 48 may be made of the same materials as liquid permeable member 40. Examples of these materials have been set out above. Member 48 has been made oil-wet. This can be done by using materials such as surface active agents, e.g., high molecular weight quaternary ammonium salts, fatty acid derivatives, or crude oils. In order to help maintain the oil-wet characteristic of the member distance across the tubing 26.

48, a small amount of oil 50 is provided when the tool is assembled for lowering into the well 10.

The structural details of the water inlet are shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. A cylindrical member 52 is mounted within the cylindrical support 44. Cylindrical member 52 is provided with a downwardly extending battle d. The liquid permeable member '40 has been inserted in the cylindrical support 44 and is held against the member 52 by means of a retaining ring 56 provided with threads to mate with threads provided on the inside perimeter of the cylindrical support 44. The cover plate 42 provides the chamber 41 to which tubing 51 is connected.

A water ejection port 58 extends from the space defined by the member 52 and battle 54, through the perimeter of member 52 and the top of cylindrical support 44.

Notice that the bafile 54 extends parallel to disc 46 and is located between the disc 46 and the port 58. Since the water which will enter through the water inlet is heavier than the liquid corrosion inhibitor, the bafiie 54 will prevent the corrosion inhibitor from backilowing through the liquid permeable member 40. V

The structural detail of the corrosion inhibitor ejection outlet is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The liquid permeable member 48 is mounted in a plate 60 mounted across the top of the corrosion inhibitor reservoir 37. Plate 69 is made of a liquid impermeable metal. A bafile 62 is mounted on the plate 60 adjacent a side of the liquid permeable metal member 48. Baille 62 extends upwardly from the plate 60.

A liquid impermeable metal member 64 is connected to one side of the tubing 20 and extends for a substantial However, the member 64 has its end portion extending downwardly as at 66 just short of the other side of the tubing 20 to provide a corrosion inhibitor ejection port 68. Member 64 extends over the liquid permeable member 4-8 and the baille 62 with the portion 66 extending downwardly to a point just above the plate 60 and parallel to the bafiie 62. Thus, a corrosion inhibitor flow path is provided from the container through member 48, between bathe 62 and downwardly extending member 66, and out through the corrosion inhibitor ejection port 68. An opening 61 in the impermeable member 60 is provided in thespace between the bafiie 66 and the wall of the tubing extension 26 which is fluidly connected to the chamber 41 in the cylinder support 44 by means of tubing 51 and also through the wall of extension tubing 20 to provide a flow path for the water to enter inhibitor container 37 and to provide a constant pressure in the chamber in cylinder support 44.

In operation, the extension tubing 26 is lowered through the production tubing 16 and seated in the landing nipple 18. The formation 34 produces both oil and water. Any oil that enters tube 51 will be ejected through the port 63 in the extension tubing. Thus, only water will contact the water-wet inlet 49.

Since the inlet 40 is made water-wet, the water will flow easily through the number 40. The water entering through inlet 40 displaces the liquid corrosion inhibitor contained in the container. Thus, the corrosion inhibitor is ejected through ejection disc 4-8 and out of the corrosion ejection port 68. The baffle 62 and the oil-wet characteristic of the liquid permeablemember 48 will permit the lighter corrosion inhibitor liquid to flow through the member 48 and out port 68 while at the same time preventing the entrance of water into the container through liquid permeable member 48. The rate of release of corrosion inhibitor is controlled by the fluid resistance of the members 40 and 48 and the gravitational head obtainable by the spacing of the members 40 and 43 for the entry of water and exit of corrosion inhibitor.

We claim: 1

l. A device for ejecting treating liquids for treating subsurface borehole equipment comprising: a container for enclosing treating liquid of lower density than water; a cylindrical support extending inwardly from an edge of the container and having a Water ejection port in the top thereof; a water-wet liquid permeable disc coaxially. mounted within the support and serving as a water inlet; a bafile extending downwardly from the top of the support and within the support, said battle being positioned between said liquid permeable disc and the water ejection port; tubular means adapted to provide water cornmunication between said cylindrical support and the outside of said container; and an oil-wet liquid permeable member mounted in the top of the container and providing an outlet for the treating liquid displaced by the water.

2. A device for ejecting treating liquids for treating subsurface borehole equipment comprising: a container for enclosing treating liquid of lower density than water; a cylindrical support extending inwardly from an edge of the container and having a water ejection port in the top thereof; a water-wet liquid permeable disc coaxially mounted within the support and serving as a water inlet; a baflie extending downwardly from the top of the support and within the support, said baflle being positioned between said liquid permeable disc and the water ejection port; tubular means adapted to provide water communication betweensaid cylindrical support and the outside of said container; a plate mounted across the top of the container and having a portion thereof made of liquid permeable material which has been made oilwet with the remaining impermeable metal; a bafile extending upwardly from the liquid impermeable metal portion of said plate; anda liquid impermeable member mounted above the oil-wet portion of the plate and extending over the top edge of the baffle, said liquid impermeable member having a portion thereof extending downwardly to a point above the liquid impermeable metal portion of the plate thus providing a fiuid path for, the ejection of treating liquid displaced by Water entering the container through said water inlet.

3. A device for ejecting treating liquids for treating subsurface borehole equipment comprising: a container for enclosing treating liquid of lower density than water;

means including a water permeable member adapted to serve as a water inlet for the flow of water into the con- .tainer to displace the treating liquid; a fluid conducting 7 member adapted to provide water communication between said water permeable member and the outside of said container; and a liquid permeable member supported by the 1 container, said liquid permeable member being located above said water permeable member thus providing an outlet for the treating liquid displaced by the water.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,654,436 Carlisle et al. Oct. 6, 1953 2,757,742 Tucker Aug. 7, 1956 2,852,080 Roach Sept. 16, 1958 portion being made of liquid 

1. A DEVICE FOR EJECTING TREATING LIQUIDS FOR TREATING SUBSURFACE BOREHOLE EQUIPMENT COMPRISING: A CONTAINER FOR ENCLOSING TREATING LIQUID OF LOWER DENSITY THAN WATER; A CYLINDRICAL SUPPORT EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM AN EDGE OF THE CONTAINER AND HAVING A WATER EJECTION PORT IN THE TOP THEREOF; A WATER-WET LIQUID PERMEABLE DISC COAXIALLY MOUNTED WITHIN THE SUPPORT AND SERVING AS A WATER INLET; A BAFFLE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE TOP OF THE SUPPORT AND WITHIN THE SUPPORT, SAID BAFFLE BEING POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID LIQUID PERMEABLE DISC AND THE WATER EJECTION PORT; TUBULAR MEANS ADAPTED TO PROVIDE WATER COM-P MUNICATION BETWEEN SAID CYLINDRICAL SUPPORT AND THE OUTSIDE OF SAID CONTAINER; AND AN OIL-WET LIQUID PERMEABLE MEMBER MOUNTED IN THE TOP OF THE CONTAINER AND PROVIDING AN OUTLET FOR THE TREATING LIQUID DISPLACED BY THE WATER. 